Sai Baba's Mode of Life - His Sleeping - board - His
Stay in Shirdi - His Teachings - His Humility - The Easiest Path.

Remember Him (Sai Baba) always with love, for He was engrossed in doing good
to all, and always abided in His Self. To remember Him only is to solve the
riddle of life and death. This is the best and easiest of Sadhanas, as it
involves no expenditure. A little exertion here brings great rewards. So as long
as our senses are sound, we should, minute my minute, practice this Sadhana. All
other Gods are illusory ; Guru is the only God. If we believe in Sad-guru's holy
feet, he can change our fortune for the better. If we serve Him nicely, we get
rid of our Samsar. We need not study any philosophy like the Nyaya and the
Mimansa. If we make Him our Helmsman, we can easily cross over the sea of all
our pains and sorrows. As we trust the helmsman in crossing rivers and seas, so
we have to trust our Sadguru in getting over the ocean of worldly existence. The
Sadguru looks to the intense feeling and devotion of his devotees, endows them
with knowledge and eternal bliss.

In the last chapter, Baba's mendicancy, and devotees' experiences and other
subjects are dealt with. Let the readers now hear, where and how Baba lived, how
He slept, and how He taught etc.

†

Baba's Wonderful Bed-Stead

Let us first see where and how Baba slept, Mr.
Nanasaheb Dengale brought, for Sai Baba, a wooden plank, amount 4 cubits in
length and only a span in breath, for sleeping upon. Instead of keeping the
plank on the floor and then sleeping on it, Baba tied it like a swing to the
rafters of the Masjid with old shreds or rags and commenced to sleep upon it.
The rags were so thin and worn out that it was a problem how they could bear or
support even weight of the plank itself, let alone the weight of Baba. But
somehow or other-it was Baba's sheer Leela that the worn out rags did sustain
the plank, with the weight of Baba on it. On the four corners of this plank,
Baba lighted panatis (earthen lamps), one at each corner, and kept them burning
the whole night. It was a sight for the Gods to see Baba sitting or sleeping on
this plank! It was a wonder to all, how Baba got up and down the plank. Out of
curiosity, many careful observers kept watching the process of mounting and
dismounting, but none succeeded. As crowds began to swell so to detect this
wonderful feat, Baba one day broke the plank into pieces and threw it away. Baba
had all the eight Siddhis (powers) at His command. He never practiced nor craved
for them. They came to Him naturally, as a result of His perfection.

Sagun Manifestation of Brahman

Though Sai Baba looked like a man, three cubits and a
half in length, still He dwelt in the hearts of all. Inwardly, he was unattached
and indifferent, but outwardly, He longed for public welfare. Inwardly most
disinterested, He looked outwardly full of desires, for the sake of His
devotees. Inwardly an abode of peace, he looked outwardly restless. Inwardly He
had the state of Brahman, outwardly He acted like a devil. Inwardly He had the
state of Brahman, outwardly he acted like a devil. Inwardly He loved Adwaita
(union or monism), outwardly He got entangled with the world. Sometimes He
looked on all with affection, and at times He threw stones at them; sometimes He
scolded them, while at times He embraced them and was calm, composed, tolerant
and well-balanced. He always abided and was engrossed in the Self and was
well-disposed towards His Bhaktas. He always sat on one Asan and never travelled.
His 'band' was a small stick, which He always carried in His hand. He was calm,
being thought-free. He never cared for wealth and fame and lived on begging.
Such a life He led. He always uttered 'Allah Malik' (God the real owner). Entire
and unbroken was His love for the Bhaktas. He was the mine or store-house for
self-knowledge and full of Divine Bliss. Such was the Divine Form of Sai Baba,
boundless, endless and undifferentiated. One principle which envelopes the whole
universe, (from a stone pillar to Brahma) incarnated in Sai Baba. The really
meritorious and fortunate people got this treasure-trove in their hands, while
those people who not knowing the real worth of Sai Baba took or take Him to be a
man, a mere human being, were and are indeed miserable.